The City of Santa Barbara has launched a beach club. Brian Jones joins Santa Barbara Talks with Josh Molina to talk about "The Barbara," and what it means for Santa Barbara. The program offers a chance for people to pay a fee to enjoy the beach with a variety of amenities, including towels, seating area, umbrellas games and food. It is a new concept for Santa Barbara and Jones is here to explain the program his journey to start the business in Santa Barbara.
Jun 19, 2025•29 min
Architect Greg Rech and writer and author Betsy J. Green join Josh Molina for a fascinating discussion about the 1925 Santa Barbara earthquake and how the community built its way out of. Also visit https://eq25.org/ for the story of the quake and learn more at the Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara.
May 26, 2025•43 min
Sunstone President Teddy Cabugos and Splash Nano Co-Founder Kalon Baird talk with Journalist Josh Molina about the effort to legalize hemp beverages. Cabugos and Baird have developed a hemp beverage and are working to educate the public and lawmakers about hemp. Learn all about hemp beverages and their efforts to make it as ubiquitous as other drinks. Josh Molina is an award-winning journalist who creates conversations around education, housing, pop culture, media, business and more. Check out t...
May 13, 2025•56 min
Santa Barbara City Planning Commissioner John Baucke talks about two La Cumbre Plaza housing projects with journalist Josh Molina, in the latest episode of Santa Barbara Talks. Baucke explains his concerns about a 443-unit project for the Sears side of the plaza. He also offers his views on the Macy's project on the other side of the mall. The conversation also shifts to affordable housing and Baucke's ideas for how create a redevelopment agency to help fund affordable housing. Baucke offers a s...
Apr 14, 2025•1 hr 7 min
Brittany Zagic and Gareth Kelly join Josh Molina on the latest episode of Santa Barbara Talks to talk about their effort to preserve Santa Barbara's Funk Zone. They are fighting against a 250-room hotel proposed for 101 Garden Street. The want the hotel reduced in size or turned into housing to help preserve the charm and culture of the Funk Zone. Check out their points and perspective in this episode. Also, documentary filmmaker Gareth Kelly talks about his film that highlights the people and p...
Apr 01, 2025•54 min
Rob Fredericks, executive director of the Santa Barbara Housing Authority, explains why he is halting new section 8 housing vouchers, the reasoning and who it affects. He also gives an update on the latest Housing Authority developments, including Bella Vista and Jacaranda Court, among others. Joshua Molina is an award-winning journalist, podcaster, and college instructor who creates compelling conversation on issues of housing, education, politics, business and culture. Please subscribe to this...
Mar 28, 2025•52 min
Santa Barbara Teen Star Naomi Jane Voigt, Chloe Voigt, founder of YouthClusive and Kian Strenn, San Marcos High School ASB President, open up about their views on the Santa Barbara Unified School District attempt to cut teacher positions instead of administration. The three talk about the epic 8-hour meeting that ended about 3 a.m. and how they felt disrespected and unheard by some board members, especially board member Bill Banning. Naomi Jane talks about feeling "silenced and diminished by an ...
Mar 22, 2025•46 min
He's only 24, but already, Sullivan Israel is one of Santa Barbara's most influential people. He founded the local Strong Towns SB and has been advocated for safer streets for all types of transportation. Sullivan wants Santa Barbara to move away from planning with a car as the main focus and instead make all ways of transportation an equal option. He wants to bring more housing to the downtown Santa Barbara area because housing downtown, he says, will help revitalize retail on State Street. Sul...
Feb 28, 2025•1 hr 3 min
The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors want to increase their pay by $58,000 annually. They are set to vote on the matter Tuesday, Feb. 25. Conservative Andy Caldwell has been vocal about the proposed raise, calling it "obscene." In this podcast he talks with Josh Molina about the pay raise, why he objects to it, and why he believes it is a part-time job. Caldwell also discusses the controversial Santa Barbara County AMR contract, something he calls the worst moment he has scene in his mo...
Feb 22, 2025•40 min
Storyteller Leslie Zemeckis talks with Josh Molina about her award-winning, women-centered films that tell the lost stories of powerful women in history. Her most recent documentary Grandes Horizontales tells the story of mid-1805s courtesans who accumulated wealth, power and property by breaking the rules, when women could now marry or work outside of their class. From her website lesliezemeckis.com: "It isn’t for us to judge their choices but to reveal the answers behind the why and the what a...
Feb 01, 2025•40 min
Developer Peter Lewis pulls back the curtain and talks about the blockbuster deal to sell the 81-unit Soltara Apartments in downtown Santa Barbara to UCSB. Lewis explains how the deal went down and why it was necessary to do so. He also talks about State Street housing, downtown, commercial conversions, and the Cost Plus World Market. Joshua Molina is a journalist, college professor and podcaster who creates dynamic conversations on housing, education, transportation, business, culture and the i...
Jan 20, 2025•47 min
Newsmakers with JR editor Jerry Roberts talks about his switch to Substack as a distribution platform in the latest episode of Santa Barbara Talks with Josh Molina. Roberts explains what the change means, and his vision for the site, created in 2014 with Hap Freund, which provides analysis, commentary and enterprise journalism about Santa Barbara public affairs. Roberts also discusses the broader media landscape and his disgust with Donald Trump. Molina and Roberts also talk about Roy Lee, Das W...
Jan 05, 2025•1 hr 1 min
This is part 2 of a 3-part series with Das Williams, outing Santa Barbara County First District Supervisor. Williams is the longest-serving elected official in the county. He was first elected to the Santa Barbara City Council in 2003. After an unsuccessful bid at re-election in 2024, Williams is looking at his next move, which likely will involve working in an environmental field, to focus on climate change and renewable energy. In this podcast, Williams talks about his final Santa Barbara Coun...
Dec 23, 2024•1 hr 4 min
John Davies is Santa Barbara's premiere conservative political mind. He sits down with Josh Molina for an in-depth discussion on conservative politics across the nation and locally and discusses why he believes Trump defeated Kamala Harris in November. Davies, the founder and CEO of Davies Public Affairs and Blaze PR, also has deep knowledge of Santa Barbara County politics. Davies talks about what may have been behind Das Williams' stunning re-election defeat, thoughts on his legacy and what he...
Dec 09, 2024•50 min
Das Williams joins Josh Molina to talk about the early part of his life and career in the latest episode of Santa Barbara Talks. Williams explains how his early work for CAUSE, field representative for Hannah-Beth Jackson and campaign manager for the No on Recall campaign against Gail Marshall led to a successful run for Santa Barbara City Council. He shares about his "troubled" childhood, growing up with divorced parents, and little supervision helped shape his survival instincts. He credits fo...
Dec 01, 2024•1 hr 2 min
Rev. David Moore sits down with Josh Molina to talk about Trump's victory in the presidential contest, why and how it happened, and what it means for the country. He also shares his thoughts on Democrats, whether they turned their backs on working people, and how the situation in Gaza affected the presidential outcome. Moore also shares his views on local political issues, including rent control and affordable housing. Then he discusses his background and upbringing and how he became a human rig...
Nov 12, 2024•1 hr 2 min
Dr. Eliot Jacobson, professor of mathematics and computer science returns to Santa Barbara Talks with Josh Molina to talk about the major weather storm currently hitting California. Jacobson explains why it is happening, and why we should expect more extreme weather events. Jacobson also talks about what it means to be an environmental doomer (it's not what you think), and expresses his frustration with some environmentalists who perpetuate a green energy agenda. He says there is no quantifiable...
Oct 26, 2024•53 min
Journalist Josh Molina breaks down the contest between incumbent Oscar Gutierrez and challenger Tony Becerra in the battle for seat on the Santa Barbara City Council in District 3. Please consider a financial contribution to support these podcasts by visiting santabarbaratalks.com. Joshua Molina is a journalist and college instructor who creates dynamic conversations on the topics of housing, politics, education, culture and business. Please hit subscribe on YouTube.
Oct 15, 2024•24 min
They call him the mayor of the Westside. Tony Becerra, a karate trainer, enters the political arena to challenge his former student Oscar Gutierrez for a seat on the Santa Barbara City Council in District 3. In this podcast, Becerra opens up about the reasons why he is running for office and his views on issues such as rent control, State Street and the sales tax increase. Becerra also talks about his personal story, being a renter, a small business owner, and one of 12 children in his family. H...
Oct 12, 2024•52 min
Jennifer Smith is running for Goleta City Council in District 3. In this podcast conversation with journalist Josh Molina, Smith talks about the housing proposal at the Glen Annie Golf Club, the county's Housing Element process, Old Town Goleta's re-striping efforts, traffic in Goleta, plans to close the Goleta library for two years, and variety of issues and challenges facing Goleta. Smith also talks about her work as a Legal Aid Foundation attorney and her background and the events that shaped...
Oct 05, 2024•52 min
Dave King is running for a re-election as Buellton Mayor in the Nov. 5, 2024 election. King was first elected in 2008 to the City Council. King talks with journalist Josh Molina about his re-election campaign. King shares his plans to build a disc golf course, re-open a movie theater, and explains the plan to open a bowling alley in Buellton. In addition, King, a retired CHP officer, said he wants to bring more CHP officers to Highway 246 to slow down speeding on the highway. King discusses his ...
Sep 30, 2024•47 min
Josh Molina breaks down the behind-the-scenes dynamic behind the City Council District 1 contest between Alejandra Gutierrez and Wendy Santamaria, amid recent endorsements, and allegations of sign theft. Josh Molina is a college instructor and journalists who interviews people on a variety of issues, including housing, education, culture, business and politics. Santa Barbara Talks is a place for all perspectives to discuss solutions on topics that affect all of us. Visit SantaBarbaraTalks.com to...
Sep 23, 2024•18 min
Goleta resident Rich Foster is running for Goleta Mayor! Foster is a regular at government meetings and often-critic of the Goleta City Council and staff. In this podcast, Foster talks about his views on housing, the Old Town Goleta re-striping project, the spending for the new train station remodel, roads, and other Goleta issues. Foster is challenging incumbent Paula Perotte. Please check out this podcast and find more than 250 others @santabarbaratalkswithJosh. Josh Molina creates dynamic c...
Sep 15, 2024•55 min
Journalist Josh Molina talks about how AI further erodes the quality of journalism and says news outlets should hire more journalists to save the industry. He also talks about media bias, explains what censorship is and what it is isn't talks the difference between on-the-ground news gatherers and influencers. Josh Molina is a college instructor and journalists who interviews people on a variety of issues, including housing, education, culture, business and politics. Santa Barbara Talks is a pla...
Sep 10, 2024•18 min
Buellton Vice Mayor David Silva stole the show at the recent Santa Barbara County Democratic Party Labor Day Barbecue. His explanation for why he his running for mayor wowed the crowd of nearly 300 people. Silva sits down with journalist Josh Molina for a candid discussion about his candidacy and his views on politics. "I don't view this as pitting against two people," Silva says on the podcast. "I see politics as less of a basketball game and more of a marathon. I am really just trying to run t...
Sep 09, 2024•52 min
A Los Angeles developer wants to build 255 apartments on a hill behind the Santa Barbara Mission and across the street from the Mission Rose Garden. Josh Molina explains what is going on in this fast-break, special episode of Santa Barbara Talks with Josh Molina. He also talks about the plan to create more housing at La Cumbre Plaza and talks about councilwoman Kristen Sneddon and her leadership. Santa Barbara Talks is a podcast hosted by journalist Joshua Molina. He creates dynamic conversation...
Aug 22, 2024•24 min
Santa Barbara City Councilmember Alejandra Gutierrez is running for a second term on the Santa Barbara City Council. In this podcast, Gutierrez talks about her accomplishments during her first term in office, and answers questions about her stance on rent control, housing, and her primary opponent, Wendy Santamaria. Gutierrez also talks about her new alliance with Jason Dominguez, the person she unseated when she won her first term. Gutierrez also discusses the Santa Barbara County Democratic Pa...
Aug 12, 2024•1 hr 12 min
Hilda Maldonado, Superintendent of the Santa Barbara Unified School District, opens up in this podcast with journalist Josh Molina. Maldonado answers questions about the turnover in the cabinet, her leadership style, the Santa Barbara Teachers Association contract controversies, the strike threat, Hozby Galindo, what role being Latina plays in how she is perceived, and much more. She also talks about her personal story and coming to the U.S. at 11 and learning to speak English. Josh Molina is a ...
Aug 11, 2024•1 hr 23 min
Journalists Jade Martinez-Pogue and Lily Dallow talk their epic Taylor Swift concert in Amsterdam. After spending hours online waiting to order tickets, the two lucked out and scored near front-row seats, for less than $250 each, a fraction of what Taylor tickets cost in the U.S. Hear about their amazing journey, along with friend Phoebe, through Europe, including their hostel stays. Also, Lily announces her new job, as digital content director at KTLA in Los Angeles. Check out this hilarious an...
Aug 08, 2024•1 hr 4 min
Four days after Josh Molina talked about the Democratic Party's snub of Santa Barbara City Councilman Mike Jordan in his re-election campaign, Daraka Larimore-Hall comes on the show to talk about the endorsement process and explain the reasons why Jordan didn't have support. He says it was about more than just rent control. Larimore-Hall also criticizes Molina for his podcast comments and says he doesn't have the full story. Molina and Larimore-Hall clash over why the party didn't endorse Jordan...
Jul 29, 2024•1 hr 2 min
